Chelsea School Newsletter
Week 7, Term 2
Important Term Dates
- Tues 21 Jun: Interschool Cross Country (Kauri Park School)
- Wed 22 Jun: New Parents Morning Tea 9-11am
- Fri 24 Jun: Matariki Day - (School Closed for Instruction)
- Wed 29 Jun: BoT Meeting 7:00pm
- Tue 05 Jul: Birkenhead Cluster Football
- Wed 06 Jul: Mataraki Celebration 5 - 6.30pm
- Thu 07 Jul: Vision and Hearing
- Fri 08 Jul: Last day of Term Two (School Finishes at 2pm)
- Mon 25 Jul: Term 3 Begins
- Fri 02 Sep: Teacher Only Day (School Closed for Instruction)
Kia ora whānau
What a blustery wet time we are having off the back of a really mild and sunny Autumn.
As expected general winter ills and chills are surfacing along with the continued simmering of Covid cases. So far we have been able to keep a handle on relievers to cover but, this has been a real juggle. We are hoping that temporary hub closures aren’t necessary, to get us all through. Please make sure you remain vigilant about keeping your children home if they have any cold, flu or Covid symptoms and test and report.
Matariki Celebration
Tuakana Teina (Wet day monitors)
Samoan Language Week 5
Some Samoan pattern designs in Mathematical symmetry
Our teachers and learners had fun learning about the Samoan language, geography, customs, dance and art during Samoan Language Week.
The weather, unfortunately, failed us on Friday and we weren’t able to come together and sing Le Aute, as everyone had been learning it throughout the week. Maybe in the next week or two, we will have an opportunity to do so.
Detailed sketches of the beautiful hibiscus flower by Rito students.
Whanaungatanga Parent/Teacher Sessions - Year 2 - 6
Thank you to all those whānau who were able to meet with their child/ren’s teachers last week. This opportunity to talk together about your child/ren, their progress and any concerns or celebrations is invaluable and highlights the importance of partnership in Te Whakatipu Akonga Miharo (Growing Great Learners) and Te Whakatipu Tangata Miharo (Growing Great People). If you were unable to attend please make contact with your child/s teachers to make an opportunity to connect.
Google Draw Art in Māhuri
These are awesomely realistic and identifiable. What a creative way to use technology to produce quality works of art, which would have taken time and patience.
Cross Country
What a pleasure it was to have parents on site last Wednesday to support our children participating in Cross Country. It was a beautiful day, perfect conditions whilst still wet underfoot. It was so great seeing so many of our students up for a challenge and giving their best efforts.
Congratulations to those students who qualified for interschool this year. Our top 6 runners from each group will be representing Chelsea at our interschool competition this Wednesday, 15th June.
New Kākano Parent Morning, Week 8 - Wednesday 22 June
Miss Hedges will be available in the staffroom from 9-11 am to answer any questions that parents of children who have recently started school, or are due to start during Term 2, may have in regards to school life in Kākano.
Hearing challenges are a tricky thing. They are challenges that are hard to notice and hard to identify but are faced by many. The source can be as simple as temporary loss through a cold or sinus issues. Other issues are Glue ear, (temporary, or repeated and ongoing). Or they can be more complex such as a full range of hearing loss that may require anything from cochlear implants, hearing aids, RHMA systems, use of Makaton or NZSL. These are all individualised challenges.
The other significant issue is Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). This is a term for hearing disorders that result in difficulty processing auditory information in the brain. It often co-occurs with language and reading disorders, including dyslexia. The persistent challenges can have significant consequences for participation. If you are interested in knowing more about this here is a link to some APD indicators Diagnosis of this requires specialised assessment.
As you can imagine the outcome of hearing loss or interpretation of sound can have a wide range of outcomes for our learners. Challenges can be; speech difficulties, poor phonics, difficulty following verbal instructions, focus on the desired sounds over competing noise and activity, slow processing and responding times, listening fatigue, noise sensitivity, poor auditory memory, difficulty maintaining attention, poor listening skills, tendency to be easily distracted, difficulty identifying emotions, humour and subtle meanings, inconsistent or inappropriate responses, and lots of asking for repetition and rephrasing. ‘What?’ ‘Huh?’
So what does this mean for our learners and teachers in the classroom? How can we ensure all our learners have the opportunities to hear and function to the best of their ability?
Some of the strategies that are often used are; teacher proximity, noise-cancelling headphones, gaining the child’s attention before speaking, face-to-face communication, limiting noise and visual distractions, repeating or rephrasing, checking on understanding, clarity/speed/volume consideration, step by step instructions, RHMA sound system (if allocated), learning buddy, breaks from listening, visual prompts and timetables, written instructions etc. At times teachers and learners also use NZ Makaton and NZSL for learners who are supported in this way.
If you are beginning to grow a hunch, chat with your child's teacher and visit a hearing clinic and rule out a hearing loss in the first instance, before you worry about whether it’s just kids being kids or something needing deeper investigation.
Ngā Mihi
Janine Cross
Deputy Principal
Chelsea Primary School